As dusk fell over Des Moines’ Union Park on Friday, a line of masked community members awaited their turns to offer hugs, condolences and flowers to some half dozen members of a bereaved family who had joined them.
Like similar rituals played out in places of worship, crematoriums or burial grounds, such a sharing of grief may help temper grief s impact. But unlike at most memorial services, these attendees were not known to the family. They were strangers who had come together to mourn a little girl they d never met.
We all felt we knew Breasia Terrell, the radiant 10-year old from Davenport who disappeared nine months ago, and whose missing remains turned up March 22 in a pond. We knew she was independent and outgoing, funny and strong. Maybe we d heard her mother, Aisha Lankford, describe in an interview how Breasia loved celebrating birthdays at FunCity in Burlington, or dancing and singing along to Moana tunes. We d seen Breasia s luminous eyes and effusive smil